Summary

We want to keep you connected. If you're having trouble paying your NetSG bill, you have the right to ask for financial hardship assistance, and it's free. Disconnection is always our last resort.

What financial hardship is. You can't pay what you owe us because of circumstances such as illness, unemployment, loss of income or revenue, domestic or family violence, a death in the family, a natural disaster or another unexpected change, and you expect you could pay with an arrangement in place.

What help you can get. You can ask for short term assistance (up to 3 billing cycles) or long term assistance (more than 3 billing cycles). Options include more time to pay, a payment plan tailored to what you can afford, discounts on or waiving of charges, removing non-essential features at no cost, moving to a better-suited plan or service, and adjusting our internal limits so your service isn't disconnected.

How to apply. Call our Accounts and Administration team on 1300 622 863 (+61 2 9122 6100 from overseas), Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Sydney time, email solutions@netsg.co, or write to us. There's no form to fill in. You don't need to provide evidence for short term assistance or if you're experiencing domestic or family violence.

Complaints. If you're unhappy with a decision, tell us and we'll review it. You can also complain to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) on 1800 062 058 or at tio.com.au.

Free, independent help. National Debt Helpline 1800 007 007 (ndh.org.au), Small Business Debt Helpline 1800 413 828 (sbdh.org.au), TIO 1800 062 058.

Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to customers who are "consumers" under the Telecommunications (Financial Hardship) Industry Standard 2024:

  • not-for-profit organisations that don't buy our services for resale; and
  • businesses that don't buy our services for resale and, when they entered into their contract, didn't have a genuine and reasonable opportunity to negotiate its terms and have (or we reasonably estimate will have) an annual spend with us of no more than $40,000.

It also covers former customers who still owe us money, and anyone acting for a customer, such as a financial counsellor or authorised representative.

Our commitment

Our goal is to keep customers experiencing financial hardship connected. We will only use disconnection as a last resort. You have the right to apply for financial hardship assistance, and it's free: we don't charge you to apply, to be assessed, or to access or administer an arrangement.

What financial hardship means

Financial hardship is when you can't meet what you owe us because of circumstances such as:

  • personal or household illness
  • unemployment
  • low or insufficient income, or reduced access to income (for a business, such as losing revenue or a major client)
  • being a victim survivor of domestic or family violence
  • a death in the family
  • a change in personal or family circumstances
  • a natural disaster
  • unexpected events or changes that affect your income or expenses
  • other reasonable causes

and you consider you'll be able to meet those obligations if we agree an arrangement with you.

Options for assistance

We tailor assistance to your circumstances and capacity to pay. Options include:

  • More time to pay: temporarily postponing, extending or deferring the due date of a bill
  • Payment plan: paying what you owe in instalments tailored to what you can afford
  • Discounts and waived charges: discounting charges on your bill, such as late payment fees
  • Removing non-essential features: removing add-ons or features you don't need, at no cost
  • Changing your service: moving you to a plan or service that better suits your circumstances
  • Staying connected: adjusting our internal limits so your service isn't disconnected

Assistance can be short term (up to 3 billing cycles) or long term (more than 3 billing cycles), and we may agree other options too. If you're a victim survivor of domestic or family violence, we'll consider options that help you manage payments safely over time.

How to apply

Contact us in any of the ways you normally contact us:

  • Phone: Accounts and Administration on 1300 622 863 (+61 2 9122 6100 from overseas), Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Sydney time, excluding public holidays. The team can deal with your application directly.
  • Email: solutions@netsg.co
  • Netportal, or in writing to Level 25, 100 Mount Street, North Sydney NSW 2060

There's no application form: just tell us you need help. To check on your application, contact us the same way. If you need help applying, for example because of a disability, language needs or domestic or family violence, tell us and we'll assist. You can reach us through the National Relay Service or with an interpreter from the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

How we assess your application

  • We'll tell you how long we expect the assessment to take.
  • You're eligible if your situation meets the definition above and you want to use one of our options for assistance.
  • We'll talk with you about your circumstances and capacity to pay, and which options suit you.
  • We won't ask for evidence if you're seeking short term assistance or may be a victim survivor of domestic or family violence, and we won't ask for anything irrelevant or unreasonably onerous.
  • We'll only ask for information (such as bank or financial statements, or evidence of lost income) when it's strictly necessary, long term assistance is needed, and either the amount to repay is over $1,000, you've been a customer for less than 2 months, or we reasonably suspect fraud. If we do, we'll tell you in writing who to contact, how to give it to us (by email, Netportal or post) or have it sighted instead, how we'll use it, and that we'll only keep it for as long as the assessment needs.
  • We'll complete the assessment within 5 business days of receiving a complete application, and tell you the outcome within 2 business days after that. If it becomes clear you're not eligible, we'll tell you straight away.

Once an arrangement is agreed

  • It starts as soon as you agree to it.
  • Within 2 business days we'll confirm it in writing, including its details and how long it lasts, your rights and obligations, when credit management action could be taken, that you need to tell us within 14 days if your situation changes, and that you can ask for a review.
  • If your situation changes, tell us and we'll review the arrangement within 5 business days. If a payment is missed, we'll contact you to discuss it and offer a review.

Credit management and disconnection

We won't take credit management action (such as debt collection, restriction, suspension or disconnection) while you're discussing options with us or have applied, or while an arrangement is in place, and we won't sell your debt during that time or while we review an arrangement. If an arrangement isn't kept, we'll first review it and take reasonable steps to contact you. Suspension or disconnection is a last resort, and we'll give you at least 10 business days' written notice before it happens.

Complaints and reviews

  • If you're unhappy with a decision about your application, contact us the same way to make a complaint or ask us to review it.
  • You can also complain to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), a free and independent dispute resolution service: 1800 062 058 or tio.com.au/complaints.
  • Making a complaint doesn't stop you agreeing to an arrangement for financial hardship assistance.

Free financial counselling

Just ask and we can refer you.

About this policy

This policy is made under the Telecommunications (Financial Hardship) Industry Standard 2024 and is reviewed at least every 12 months. Last updated: November 2026.